Shop Windows to the Universe

Sandro Botticelli: "Venus and Mars." The painting shows Venus resting
contentedly. Little satyrs honk horns and play about
Mars, as he sleeps, unaware.
Click on image for full sizeImage courtesy of the Trustees, The National Gallery, London.

Venus and Mars

Venus was
the goddess of love and beauty.
With her exquisite features and pleasant smile she
attracted many suitors, gods and mortals alike.
She was married to the graceless and lame Vulcan, the
god of fire. Her true love was
Mars, the god of war.
Their child was the beautiful goddess
Harmonia.

One day while Venus and Mars lay together
they were caught in an invisible but strong net forged by
Vulcan, who cried out when the lovers had been ensnared:

"Jupiter and all you immortals! Come quickly and see this
intolerable thing, worthy of your laughter. Because I am
lame Venus despises me. She loves the cruel Mars because he
is agile and handsome. See them both bound together in their
adultery, for these cords will keep them so bound until Jupiter
returns the gifts I made him in order to obtain this impudent
wench who cannot restrain her lust!"

In Greek mythology, Apollo was the son of Zeus (Jupiter) and Leto (Letona). He was the twin brother of the goddess Artemis. He was the god of the Sun, logic, and reason, and was also a fine musician and...more

Ahsonnutli was the sky father and chief deity of the Navajo Indians. He created heaven, Earth, and the sky. Each of the four cardinal directions was supported by a giant. Each direction was also associated...more

Amphitrite was one of the fifty Nereids, the attendants of the sea-god Poseidon. Poseidon (Neptune) had fallen in love with Amphitrite after seeing her dancing on the island of Naxos. Amphitrite rejected...more

Aphrodite was the Greek goddess of love and beauty. She was known to the Romans as Venus. There were actually two different Aphrodites, one was the daughter of Uranus, the other the daughter of Zeus and...more

In Greek mythology, Apollo was the son of Jupiter(in Greek Zeus) and Leto (Letona). He was the god of the Sun, logic, and reason, and was also a fine musician and healer. Leto travelled all over Greece...more

According to an ancient Greek legend, the figure of a gigantic crab was placed in the nighttime sky by the goddess Hera to form the constellation Cancer. Hera was the jealous wife of the sky god, Zeus....more